Fernando Alonso's humorous plan to watch F1 title fight from the midfield

Fernando Alonso has a simple plan to follow the Formula 1 drivers' championship showdown during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: watch the many trackside screens while he races in the midfield. The Aston Martin driver starts sixth, with his primary objective being to secure seventh place in the constructors' championship for his team.

Why it matters:

While the spotlight is on the title contenders, the intense midfield battle for crucial championship points and millions in prize money remains a significant subplot of the season finale. Alonso's focus on this fight, rather than the one for the win, highlights the multi-layered competition within a Grand Prix weekend.

The details:

Alonso's Aston Martin team holds seventh in the constructors' standings with 80 points, but faces pressure from Haas (7 points behind) and Stake (12 points behind). Racing Bulls in sixth is also within theoretical reach, 12 points ahead.

• The Spaniard qualified sixth, but with strong cars ahead and teammate Lance Stroll starting 15th, scoring enough points to advance in the standings will be challenging.
• When asked about potentially benefiting if Max Verstappen backs up the pack, Alonso was clear: "Obviously, our race is with Haas and Sauber [Stake] for the constructors' championship. There is no other incentive for us."
• He humorously detailed his plan to monitor the title fight, noting the circuit's abundance of screens: "Turn 3, you have a screen that's in the middle of your view. Turn 5, you have a screen on the inside, Turn 7 on the outside... So, plenty of screens. It's going to be a fantastic show for us."

What's next:

Alonso aims to be a spectator to the championship drama, not a participant. "I hope to be as far as possible from the fight," he said, before clarifying, "Well, not too far, because I want to be in the points, but not in the news on Monday." His race will be a balancing act between scoring vital points for Aston Martin and avoiding any controversy involving the leaders.